Lullaby for a Stormy Night
by animephoenix2468
Summary: Subtle songfic During a thunderstorm, a daughter of one of Winry's clients worries about her mother and the weather outside, so Winry comforts the five-year-old, revealing a few things about herself in the process.


"Is Mama gonna be okay, Miss Winry?" five-year-old Nadia tugged at my clothes, tears of worry and fear streaming down her face.

I smiled, trying to comfort her. "She'll be fine. Your mother might act a bit differently for a while until she gets used to her automail, but it will be wonderful when she can walk again, right?" She nodded, clutching her panda security blanket in her fist like a best friend's hand and a lifeline. "Until she reaches that point, I just need you to love her and be yourself."

Just as Nadia nodded again, thunder exploded and shook the house. Lightning struck the tree by the foundation of the former Elric residence. Nadia shrieked and sobbed harder, so I lifted her up and gently put her down on the living room couch. I remembered a lullaby my mother used to sing to me on nights like this and began to hum.

A few moments later, a tapping noise sounded from the window. The young girl trembled in fear.

"Miss Winry, someone's trying to get into your house! Their hands are long and bony. I don't think they're human!"

I investigated and realized that they weren't human hands but tree branches of a short tree outside.

"It's just the wind hitting the branches on the tree outside. The hands aren't real. Don't worry, Nadia. I'm here, and I'll protect you. Please, try to sleep," I strode back to the couch and knelt down, holding Nadia close to me as I resumed singing.

"Why does it have to rain so much? I don't like it," questioned Nadia, relaxing a bit more.

"Without the rain," I explained, "we wouldn't have any water to drink or plants to eat, and neither would the pandas."

"What about the pretty river by my house? It's my favorite place to go, and it has water for the pandas."

"Water from the rain flows into the river, too. No rain means no river. Rain and sunshine together create the world that you see in the morning when the storm is over."

Nadia gazed at me, her large puppy eyes filled with confusion. "I thought God made those things."

"That's true," I agreed. "He also created the weather to help keep them beautiful and alive."

"Mama and I always look up at the moon on clear nights. Will we be able to do that now?"

I sighed sadly, "No, she can't be moved for a while yet, but when she recovers, it will be that much better. What about your father?"

"Mama said Papa is gone. We go visit him in that place with all the weird-shaped rocks on his birthday and stuff, though. I saw a picture of him once. He was hansum."

I couldn't help giggling at her mispronunciation of 'handsome.'

"Will you look at the moon with me, Miss Winry?" Nadia requested. "Mama's gonna be here a while, and it's only me and her. Can I live here with you and Ms. Pinako?"

"Of course!" I grinned. "I don't think Granny would mind, and I would love to have a little sister."

"Where are your Mama and Papa? Who made you happy when you were scared?"

My smile faltered a bit. "My mom and dad are with your papa. After they left, Granny took care of me."

Nadia hugged me. "It's okay. Am I your only sister?"

"Yes," I replied, "but I have two brothers, too. They have different parents from me, but they're still my family. They go and see lots of different places, so the two of them aren't home much."

"What are they like?"

"Well, the older one, Ed, is short, has blond hair, and always seems to be getting into trouble. Al always wears a suit of armor, because of that he looks a bit scary at first, but he's kind and gentle."

Nadia asked me one last question. "What are you scared of?"

"I'm scared of losing my brothers," I admitted. "Now, it's time to get to bed, Nadia."

I sang the last verse, and my little sister joined in, confessing that her mother sang the same lullaby to her.

"Everything will be alright in the morning," I consoled her as she drifted off. "Everybody will still be here, caring about and loving you."

As she drifted off, Nadia whispered, "Thank you, big sister."


End file.
